Premier League clubs have today unanimously voted to move to Phase 2 of the return to football protocols, which will allow full contact training.
Since last week, players have been training in small groups while observing social distancing, but after Covid-19 testing showed minimal infections it has been decided to kick things on.
A statement released this lunchtime via the Premier League website reads:
Premier League Shareholders today voted unanimously to resume contact training, marking another step towards restarting the Premier League season, when safe to do so.
Squads are now able to train as a group and engage in tackling while minimising any unnecessary close contact.
The Premier League’s priority is the health and wellbeing of all participants.
Strict medical protocols are in place to ensure the training ground is the safest environment possible and players and staff will continue to be tested for COVID-19 twice a week.
Stage Two of the Return to Training protocol has been agreed following consultation with clubs, players, managers, the PFA, LMA and the Government.
Discussions are ongoing as work continues towards resuming the season, when conditions allow.
This is obviously a significant development as teams prepare for the resumption of the 2019-20 season.
As of yet there are no official indications of how and when the games will be played, although some reports have suggested matches will all be broadcast in clutches over the weekend days.
We’ll wait for details on that, but for now Mikel Arteta and his players can start working in relative normality once again.
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Training and matches are safe as long as there will be strict off-match off-training guidelines and enforcement for both players and officials. One slip and everyone will be at risk again.
I disagree. Currently in the UK we are one of the worst countries affected because our government didn’t act fast enough. I’m living in germany at the moment and the only reason their clubs are able to continue is because their government acted quickly and efficiently. A prem player is way more at risk of carrying the virus and the tests arent 100% foolproof. It only takes 1 player with no symptoms and 1 false test to see a potential up to 50 othes (player and staff) to catchit and subsequently spread it to their families. Once that happens football… Read more »
I cant see where we disagree here.
I meant to say I disagree with the situation haha. I don’t know how I didn’t notice that error!
Hooray, a small step forward. I’m sure they can afford to test the players, and they aren’t the ones at risk anyway, I’m sure they are fit enough to recover.
Perhaps get them driving to practice too, to test their eyesight?
Shareholders ie those not at risk.
It should have been a choice left for the individual. Those that wanted to continue contact training, should have been free to, those that wanted contactless training, the same, and those that wanted to stay home, should be free to stay home. Society works much better when it’s based on freewill, and with as little state interference as possible, people should be encouraged to take control of their own lives, their own decisions, and to own the outcomes of their own actions. If you implement this philosophy over time? You’ll end up with a more mature and responsible society, rather… Read more »
Funny that Germany is a country with so much beurocracy but the least infections in Europe. Must be an outlier ?
Germany hasn’t been as badly effected for several reasons, one of the main ones being that it hasn’t entered their care home system. That’s been achieved because unlike in the UK where NHS return the sick, German hospitals are paid for each night a patient is retained.
So you could say Capitalism has saved them.
does anyone know why BTSports have started charging, when a return date for full action not agreed yet?
it would be three weeks from now around 20th June if everything goes well 😀
Thanks Vaibhav
You can stop the payments but you have to call, they won’t do it for you unless you ask. Thats my understanding or maybe this JUST sky?
Thanks Samu ?
Update- I complained to BT for charging me £24.49 this month, they have replied refunding my monthly subscription. Also Judges subscription is a 50% reduction due to PL not returning to 17/6.
Big thanks for heads up?
I still think it’s too early. Imagine if a player catches it and dies. Horrific. And it’s all pushed by monetary gain.
I.hope I’m wrong.
Obviously it would be terrible. The chance of it happening is minute though, they are young, not overweight and very fit. Arteta recovered very quickly.
More worried about their relatives and any older unfit backroom staff.
They’ve got more chance dying while driving to the training ground, statistically.
Does this mean we can arrange a pre-season tour of County Durham?
Let the battles commence
All these old matches being shown on Sky and BBC have shown the decline of Arsenal as a Premiership contender did not just happen 3 or 4 years ago, it started not long after 2008 as top players left. The odd star like RVP and FA Cup success masked the seriousness. The academy set up didn’t produce good enough first teamers, neither did it produce players, as Chelsea & City, who could be sold on to provide good income. How many frees and £1 million fees did we get. The French connection did not produce much in the way of… Read more »
We have been woefully mismanaged for over a decade and the road back to where we were is a very long one.
It was quite clear to me that whomever took over from Wenger, and that could have been at any point over the last 10 years, was going to need at least 5 years to put it right.
Blogs you’ve disagreed with me when I’ve said this virus is about managing risk, and trying to protect those in vulnerable demographics, because in reality we can never be completely safe, with the lockdown for healthy under 40s being unnecessary with the fatality rates being negligible.
https://www.bbc.com/news/health-52758024
Except that those under 40 often go home to those over 60 and those with health conditions that make them more susceptible to serious issues if infected with CoV-2. We know asymptomatic folks can spread the virus as well. Managing risk is smart, and people haven’t actually been under LOCKDOWN (not allowed to leave the house), but no restrictions for those under 40 seems bad risk management.
I am concerned with this “testing” of players. Every big medical company is competing to create the vaccine and the prize is $750 billion. How many are going to rush and take shortcuts because they want to win the prize.
On top of this, many countries are using different testing vaccines a.t.m so this means results will be different.
Check out: one country took samples from various fruits and many other things including diesel oil, gave them a human name and sent them to be tested.
The results will show you how silly testing is a.t.m. without a proper test.